Eating for health & testing my taste buds one bite at a time…

Overnight Chocolatey Chia Oat Pudding

Who doesn’t love dessert for breakfast?! Ok… this isn’t really DESSERT, but bear with me. It’s lent and hub and I gave up sweets, so I’ll take whatever I can get right now! In all honesty, eliminating sweets (we all know I have a REALLY bad sweet tooth) has actually been really good to help get my sugar cravings back in check. I giggled this morning when I was watching the news because they were doing a segment on how addictive sugar is. Well, living proof of that right here! Hello my name is Chelsea… and I’m a sugar addict.

OK… I’ll stop! Sorry everyone it’s been a long few weeks, and I think the lack of sleep and constant high gear at work and home has began to get to me. On to the recipe, that’s the important part right?

I have tried overnight oats and chia pudding before. Chia pudding isn’t my absolute fav; I’ve realized I’m not a huge fan of the texture. When combined with oats, I enjoy the flavor a lot more and enjoy the little change in breakfast from my usual eggs. This past weekend, I purchased a few of the vegan protein powders from Sprouts to try out. I tend to not really use protein powders that often, but thought maybe I could find a use for these. A little extra protein for me never hurt!

When it comes to oats, I always use banana as a base. It adds natural sweetness, plus the banana flavor that I love. It’s also no secret that huge amounts of nut butter tend to find its way into my breakfast every day, so of course that served as one of my topping for this sweet little bowl. This is super easy, can be made in advance, and is perfect for all of you sugar-nuts out there like myself. The good thing is outside of the sweetness from the banana, the chia seeds, and any sweetener in the protein powder, there actually isn’t any added sugar or sugar substitute such as agave or honey! I really hope you add this recipe to your weekly breakfast rotation! It is definitely going to become more of a regular for me!

P.S. It is SUPER filling! I actually could’t even finish it and ended up eating the second half after work, so be prepared for a little leftovers. It keeps great in the refrigerator, but I wouldn’t suggest keeping it much past 24 hours.

Directions

In a medium size bowl, smash 1/2 banana until fairly smooth. Add oats, chia seeds, almond milk, and cinnamon. Stir until well combined then transfer to a mason jar or tupperware with a lid. Let sit overnight for at least 7-8 hours in the refrigerator.

In the morning, agitate with a fork to fluff the oats. Add toppings of choice and enjoy!